


The Warmth of the Fire

by muddy_puddles



Category: Zombies Run!, zombies - Fandom
Genre: 5am, Camping, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Runner Five, Most of New Canton too, Mute Runner Five, Mutual Pining, Non-Binary Runner Five, Other, Pining, Secret Crush, Secret Relationship, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, post home front missions, this is so dumb i'm sorry, where the whole of Abel ship 5am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25822528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muddy_puddles/pseuds/muddy_puddles
Summary: The runners have spent so long isolated from the rest of Abel, so camping out by the barnhouse is a great way to celebrate everyone returning home. Having spent so long seperated, their friends are delighted to find that Sam and Five only have eyes for each other.---[Takes place after the home front missions, inspired by Sam talking about camping in Home Front mission 7]
Relationships: Runner Five & Sam Yao, Runner Five/Sam Yao
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	The Warmth of the Fire

Almost everyone had fallen into a hushed silence. Framed by the gentle glow of the fire and oblivious to the watchful eyes of their friends, Sam and Five were the only ones who still conversed gently between themselves with hushed tones and lazy gestures. Uninterested by the gossip around them, they sat facing each other on the log they’d claimed as a seat, so close their knees pressed together. Leaning into each other’s space. Sam said something so soft that no one but Five could hear. It must have been funny, or perhaps charming, because Five let out a breathy laugh, their nose scrunching with amusement which prized a grin from Sam in return. When Five signed their reply, they kept their hands close to their chest, private and reserved only for Sam. Slow and deliberate gestures drew a long, lingering smirk on that boy’s lips. 

The entirety of Abel must have known of Five and Sam’s affections for each other at this point. Most of New Canton, too. It wasn’t exactly a secret that Sam favoured that runner more than the rest, even through his denials. The pair were plenty affectionate; yet, no matter how much their friends asked and watched, there had never once been an announcement of a relationship. Until, perhaps, now? Their friends could only gaze on in hope.

From where she watched, Jody found herself wishing she was that little bit better at sign language. Whatever declaration of love she was certain was passing between the two, she was frustrated she couldn’t read it. But their body language filled in the gaps for her. When Five’s too long fringe fell in their face, it was Sam who reached up, fingers lingering deliberately on warm skin as he moved their hair from their eyes. When he let his hand fall away, it rested on the log between them, barely a breath away from where Five’s hand dropped to moments later. 

Watching them by that fire, everyone was certain of one thing: Five and Sam were going to kiss. Finally. You could almost see the effort it took to hold themselves back. They were so fixated on each other, so drawn in on what the other was saying, they were practically leaning into the space where their words settled. All it would take was one of them to take the plunge, to lean forward just a few inches more and close the space between them. Where this burst of bravery had emerged from was a mystery. Perhaps it was the booze, clouding their mind and giving them that much-needed boost of courage. Maybe it was just time. They’d both lived in denial for so long that it had to give way eventually. It was just a matter of how many more moments they could fight off their urges. Surely they had fought against them enough. This was the end of the world, after all. The apocalypse. Happiness was a rarity so when it presented itself - well, those two deserved happiness more than most. Watching them there, unaware of the world beyond their little bubble, it seemed certain that their strength would finally fail and they’d lean into their attraction. Not a quip or a joke was made by any of the onlookers; Five and Sam had resisted for so long, it was only fair that they were allowed this moment of perceived privacy, unaware that all their friends were eagerly staring like hungry dogs.

The pops and crackles from the fire easily disguised the silence of their audience. Suspense bubbled in the stomach of every watcher, afraid that any noise may interrupt this soft moment between the pair. Maxine shared a glance with Jody, mischief gleaming in her eyes, before slowly and quietly rising from her seat. She leant to grab another beer from the bucket in the centre of their circle and when she sat down she was just that bit closer to Sam and Five. Close enough to hear Sam’s hushed, warm voice over spitting of the flames:

“--hope you brought some tissues to this lip-sync battle, you fucking loser. I'm the best lip-syncer Abel's ever known. The only running you’ll be doing is running to Janine in tears after I annihilate you. You fucking wimp."

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate title: ‘When everyone thinks Five and Sam are about to finally make their relationship public but they’re just trash talking each other before they have the sickest lip-sync battle in Abel’s history’.   
> Jody and Maxine would riot.   
> I’m sorry guys I find myself funnier than I actually am. Once again it was better in my head :’)


End file.
